To this day they do what they did before. They don’t fear the LORD, and they do not follow the statutes, or the ordinances, or the law, or the commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 34. His ceremonies. Hebrew “they fear not the Lord, neither do they after their statutes.” Prot. Bible.—This involves a sort of contradiction, unless we explain it of the Israelites; thought hey had not been mentioned before. There is a confusion in the original text; and verse 41 seems to require that we should understand it in this manner, as the Cutheans could hardly be blamed for neglecting a thing of which they had before no knowledge. The Israelites are justly blamed for obstinately continuing in their prevarication, even in the midst of their captivity. The Syr. and Arab. translate, “The Israelites have been forced to leave their country, because they have abandoned the Lord; and they have not obeyed his laws, his precepts, and his ordinances, which he gave to,” and so forth Many adopt this explanation. Jun. Vatab. and so forth Calmet.—Septuagint make these people unite the true and the false worship, as verse 41. “They did according to their judgment. These fear, and do according to their justifications (δικαιωματα) and decision; and according to the law,” and so forth Bible.